Intel i7 940 Extreme ( Yes, Extreme) - IS this thing even Worth it???

I just got a 940 Extreme with an EVGA X58 motherboard and I am wondering if my buy is even worth it.

I got both of them for $700.

But now I have realized that I could of bought the regular 940 and the board for the same price.

Did I get Ripped off?

My questions is:

- What makes a chip "EXTREME"?

- Is this worth it?

- Should I have bought the retail 940 NON extreme instead?

And yes it is a i7 940 Extreme....... Rare. so he tells me.

I'm just wondering if its all even worth it.

Check my cell photo below:

http://img379.imageshack.us/my.php?image=i7cpuzfu5.jpg

If you bought an engineering sample, Intel really would like it returned to them. They usually give an equal or better chip in return, and occasionally more.

^+1.

An extreme version will have an unlocked multiplier which makes overclocking simpler. As far as I know, there is no such thing as a retail extreme 940. If it is an engineering sample with an unlocked multiplier, then that part is good, and you probably got a good buy. Try overclocking by raising the multiplier and see how you do.

On the other hand, paying $400 or so for a 940(Iassume the board is valued at $300) instead of $300 for a 920 is probably not worth it, since the 920 is easily overclocked. Still, I don't think it was a bad deal so long as the chip works properly.

keep it its a bargain

^ exactly.
Most ES samples are used to do suicide runs, run at high voltage, and other tests.
Unless the OP can get a guarantee from the person he bought it from, that the CPU will not die in 6 months (w/ no overclock), then it's his money he is risking.
There were a few ES 940s that were ran at 5+GHz@ 1.65v. Is this one of them?

That is an ES CPU. It is illegal for a retailer to sell you an ES CPU. Dell or any big company testing ES CPU would not release them into retail because Intel could fine them heavily. Intel does not sell ES CPUs, and some individual is getting money for free.

The ES CPU is used. The motherboard seems to list at $250 (and is this one used?). So you paid $450 for the CPU, when an i7 920 at <$300 clocks similarly. I wouldn't say you got a good deal.

The only places where unlocked multiplier matters are Intel's own X58 motherboard and high-end cooling (generally not air). At least in all the cases I've seen, third-party X58s have no trouble breaking 200 base clock. 200 base clock lets you hit 4 GHz on the i7, which is around the stability limit for the CPU on air. Oh, and unlocked CPUs are great for doing suicide shots (excessive and unstable overclocks for a few seconds/minutes), after which you may see permanent damage on the CPU/motherboard power regulators.

You did indeed receive an i7 940 ES and i'm sure the multiplier is unlocked. Having said that, it's the older B0 stepping and will not have features that the retail C0/C1 steppings have. In addition, if will be missing the latest revisions. Return it. It doesn't matter what you payed.

Balls has nothing to do with it rangers. He paid $700 for a questionable CPU that didnt even exist until now to us, that could possibly be damaged due to said above reasons, mass overvoltage etc.

Your best bet is to return it telling them you've got an ES, you never if that's going to break down some months from now

.................has the OP even said it has an unlocked multiplier? could it be he got sold a 940 which the seller said was "extreme" just as a marketing ploy? so you're all bickering, bitching and whining over nothing?

wow what an idea.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] 0#t1895062 Wake up crybabies, ES's die, new page in reality to some of you.

has it ever been established that it is an ES or that it has an unlocked?
its not rocket science to figure out of the multi is locked.

Sorry bad Picture....Here's a better close up....

Good call. You got some pocket money out of it and a realistic processor with a warranty.